Patentable/Patents/US-9607306
US-9607306

Ambient sampling mass spectrometry and chemometric analysis for screening encapsulated electronic and electrical components for counterfeits

PublishedMarch 28, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A method and apparatus for identification of a counterfeit electronic component, subjecting a suspected counterfeit electronic to an analytical method of ambient surface analysis to desorb and ionize compounds directly from a suspected counterfeit electronic surface with no pretreatment, detecting the resultant ions, comparing the identified ions to known standards, and returning a confidence that the suspected counterfeit electronic being analyzed is counterfeit.

Patent Claims
19 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. A method for identification of a counterfeit electronic, the method comprising subjecting a suspected counterfeit electronic to an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source under atmospheric pressure to energize compounds at a surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic, detecting properties of the compounds at the surface, and comparing the properties of the compounds at the surface to a standard, wherein the standard and the suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Plain English Translation

A method identifies counterfeit electronics by analyzing their surface chemistry without any prior preparation. The process involves using an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source under normal atmospheric pressure to energize compounds on the surface of the suspected counterfeit. This causes the compounds to become ionized. The properties of these ionized compounds are then detected and compared to the properties of compounds from a known good electronic component (the standard). A significant difference indicates a high likelihood that the analyzed electronic is counterfeit.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy source desorbs and ionizes the compounds at the surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic.

Plain English Translation

The method described above uses the energy from the ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source to not only release (desorb) the compounds from the surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic, but also to ionize them, giving them an electrical charge that allows for easier detection and analysis. The standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein detecting properties of the compounds at the surface comprises generating a mass spectrum of ions resulting from the compounds at the surface.

Plain English Translation

The method of counterfeit detection involves creating a mass spectrum of the ions that are emitted from the surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic. This mass spectrum acts as a fingerprint of the surface chemistry. The energy source desorbs and ionizes the compounds at the surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic, and the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the energy source is flowing atmospheric pressure afterglow (FAPA).

Plain English Translation

The method of counterfeit detection utilizes a flowing atmospheric pressure afterglow (FAPA) as the energy source to desorb and ionize compounds from the surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic. The resulting properties of the compounds at the surface are detected and compared to a standard, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the energy source is direct analysis in real time (DART).

Plain English Translation

The method of counterfeit detection utilizes direct analysis in real time (DART) as the energy source to desorb and ionize compounds from the surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic. The resulting properties of the compounds at the surface are detected and compared to a standard, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy source is selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light, visible light, near-infrared light, infrared light.

Plain English Translation

The method of counterfeit detection employs an energy source selected from ultraviolet light, visible light, near-infrared light, or infrared light to energize the compounds at the surface of a suspected counterfeit electronic. Properties of these compounds are detected and then compared to a standard, to help identify counterfeit components, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the properties of the compounds at the surface to a standard comprises using a chemometric method to process data describing the properties of the compounds at the surface.

Plain English Translation

In the method of counterfeit detection, after detecting the properties of compounds on the surface of a suspected counterfeit electronic using ambient desorption/ionization, the comparison to a standard involves using a chemometric method. This method processes the data describing the properties of the surface compounds to quantitatively assess the similarity or difference between the suspected counterfeit and the genuine standard, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the chemometric method is a multivariate statistical technique.

Plain English Translation

The chemometric method used in comparing the surface compound properties in counterfeit detection is a multivariate statistical technique. This technique analyzes multiple variables simultaneously to identify patterns and relationships in the data that distinguish counterfeit components from genuine ones. This multivariate statistical technique processes data describing the properties of the compounds at the surface, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the multivariate statistical technique is principal component analysis (PCA).

Plain English Translation

The multivariate statistical technique used for chemometric analysis in counterfeit detection is principal component analysis (PCA). PCA reduces the dimensionality of the data, highlighting the most significant variations in the surface compound properties. These variations are then used to differentiate between suspected counterfeit and genuine electronic components, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein comparing the properties of the compounds at the surface to a standard further comprises using the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST).

Plain English Translation

In addition to PCA, the comparison of surface compound properties in counterfeit detection also utilizes the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST). BEAST helps assess the uncertainty in the PCA results and provides a confidence level for the identification of counterfeit components, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the chemometric method is the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST).

Plain English Translation

The chemometric method used in counterfeit detection for comparing the surface compound properties is the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST). BEAST is applied to data describing the properties of compounds on the surface of a suspected counterfeit electronic to determine the likelihood that it is not genuine, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting properties of the compounds at the surface comprises generating a mass spectrum of ions resulting from the compounds at the surface and the data comprise mass spectra.

Plain English Translation

When using the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST) for chemometric analysis, the method involves generating a mass spectrum of the ions emitted from the surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated. The mass spectrum serves as the data input for the BEAST algorithm, allowing for comparison against a standard mass spectrum.

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspected counterfeit electronic is a suspected counterfeit integrated circuit and the standard is derived from a genuine integrated circuit.

Plain English Translation

In the method of counterfeit detection, the suspected counterfeit electronic being tested is a suspected counterfeit integrated circuit. The standard used for comparison is derived from a genuine integrated circuit. This allows for targeted detection of counterfeit integrated circuits based on their unique surface chemistry, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspected counterfeit electronic is suspected of being altered by blacktopping.

Plain English Translation

The method of counterfeit detection is particularly useful when the suspected counterfeit electronic has been altered by blacktopping, a process used to conceal the original markings or manufacturer of the component. Analyzing the surface chemistry can reveal the presence of the blacktopping material or underlying inconsistencies, aiding in the identification of counterfeit components, where the standard and suspected counterfeit electronic are not pretreated.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. A method for identification of a counterfeit electronic, the method comprising subjecting a suspected counterfeit integrated circuit to an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source under atmospheric pressure to ionize and desorb compounds at a surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic, generating a mass spectrum of ions resulting from the compounds at the surface, and comparing the mass spectrum to a standard using a chemometric method.

Plain English Translation

A method for identifying counterfeit electronics focuses on integrated circuits. It uses an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source under atmospheric pressure to release and ionize compounds from the surface of the suspected counterfeit integrated circuit. A mass spectrometer then generates a mass spectrum representing the composition of the surface. This mass spectrum is then compared to a reference mass spectrum from a known good integrated circuit using a chemometric analysis technique to determine if the integrated circuit is likely counterfeit.

Claim 16

Original Legal Text

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the chemometric method is selected from the group consisting of principal component analysis (PCA), the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST), and a combination thereof.

Plain English Translation

The chemometric method used in identifying counterfeit integrated circuits via mass spectrometry is either principal component analysis (PCA), the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST), or a combination of both. PCA helps to identify the key differences in mass spectra between genuine and counterfeit components, while BEAST provides a measure of confidence in the counterfeit identification based on the statistical analysis of the spectral data.

Claim 17

Original Legal Text

17. An apparatus for identification of a counterfeit electronic, the apparatus comprising an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source to desorb and ionize compounds directly from a surface of a suspected counterfeit electronic under atmospheric pressure with no pretreatment, a mass spectrometry detector coupled to the ADI source to detect ions resulting from the surface, and at least one programmable machine programmed for comparing the ions to a standard by a chemometric method and returning a confidence that the suspected counterfeit electronic being analyzed is counterfeit.

Plain English Translation

An apparatus for identifying counterfeit electronics includes an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source. This source desorbs and ionizes compounds directly from the surface of a suspected counterfeit electronic under atmospheric pressure without any prior sample preparation. A mass spectrometry detector is coupled to the ADI source and detects the ions released from the surface. A computer is programmed to compare the detected ions to a standard reference using a chemometric method and returns a confidence score indicating the likelihood that the analyzed electronic component is counterfeit.

Claim 18

Original Legal Text

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the chemometric method is selected from the group consisting of principal component analysis (PCA) and the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST).

Plain English Translation

In the apparatus for counterfeit detection, the chemometric method used to compare the detected ions to a standard is either principal component analysis (PCA) or the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST). PCA identifies key differences in the ion profiles, while BEAST provides a statistical measure of confidence in the counterfeit determination.

Claim 19

Original Legal Text

19. A method for identification of a counterfeit electronic, the method comprising subjecting a suspected counterfeit electronic to an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source under atmospheric pressure to energize compounds at a surface of the suspected counterfeit electronic, detecting properties of the compounds at the surface, and comparing the properties of the compounds at the surface to a standard, wherein the chemometric method is selected from the group consisting of principal component analysis (PCA) and the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST).

Plain English Translation

A method for identifying counterfeit electronics uses an ambient desorption/ionization (ADI) source to energize compounds on the surface of a suspected counterfeit electronic under normal atmospheric pressure. Properties of these energized compounds are detected and compared to a standard reference. The comparison is performed using either principal component analysis (PCA) or the bootstrapped error-adjusted single sample technique (BEAST) to determine if the component is likely counterfeit.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

March 18, 2015

Publication Date

March 28, 2017

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